Gesture recognition apparatus and control method of gesture recognition apparatus

Abstract

A gesture recognition apparatus detecting a gesture from an image and generating for an object device an instruction corresponding to the gesture, the gesture recognition apparatus comprises an image acquiring unit configured to acquire an image; an object part extracting unit configured to extract an object part performing a gesture; an object part shape identifying unit configured to identify a shape of the extracted object part; a representative point determining unit configured to set a representative point that is a point representing a position of the object part; a gesture recognizing unit configured to recognize a gesture, based on a motion of the representative point; and a command generating unit configured to generate an instruction corresponding to the recognized gesture, wherein the representative point determining unit determines a position of a representative point corresponding to the object part, using the identified shape of the object part.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gesture recognition apparatus detecting a gesture from an acquired image and generating for an object device an instruction corresponding to the gesture,
 the gesture recognition apparatus comprising: 
 an image acquiring unit configured to acquire an image; 
 an object part extracting unit configured to extract a human hand performing a gesture as an object part performing a gesture from the acquired image; 
 an object part shape identifying unit configured to acquire a number of finger(s) that is/are extended in the object part and to identify a shape of the extracted object part based on the number of finger(s); 
 a representative point determining unit configured to set, with respect to the object part, a representative point that is a point representing a position of the object part; 
 a gesture recognizing unit configured to recognize a gesture, based on a motion of the representative point; and 
 a command generating unit configured to generate an instruction corresponding to the recognized gesture, wherein 
 the representative point determining unit determines a position of a representative point corresponding to the object part, using the identified shape of the object part using different ways depending on the number of fingers that is/are extended. 
 
     
     
       2. The gesture recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the representative point determining unit is configured to set a representative point at a tip of the protruding part when the shape of the object part as identified by the object part shape identifying unit is a shape including a protruding part. 
 
     
     
       3. The gesture recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the object part is a human hand, and 
 the representative point determining unit is configured 
 to determine whether the shape of the object part as identified by the object part shape identifying unit is a first shape or a second shape that differs from the first shape, 
 to set a representative point at a position corresponding to a fingertip when the shape of the object part is the first shape, and 
 to set a representative point at a position corresponding to a center of a hand when the shape of the object part is the second shape. 
 
     
     
       4. The gesture recognition apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the representative point determining unit is configured to determine that a shape of a hand that is an object part as identified by the object part shape identifying unit is a first shape when at least one of the fingers is extended and to determine that a shape of a hand that is an object part as identified by the object part shape identifying unit is a second shape when all of the fingers are extended or all of the fingers are folded. 
 
     
     
       5. The gesture acquiring apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the representative point determining unit is configured to determine that a shape of a hand that is an object part as identified by the object part shape identifying unit is a first shape when only one finger is extended. 
 
     
     
       6. The gesture acquiring apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the representative point determining unit is configured to use a center of gravity of a region corresponding to the hand as extracted by the object part extracting unit as a position corresponding to the center of the hand. 
 
     
     
       7. The gesture recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a notifying unit configured to notify a user of a set position of a representative point. 
 
     
     
       8. A control method of a gesture recognition apparatus detecting a gesture from an acquired image and generating for an object device an instruction corresponding to the gesture,
 the control method comprising: 
 acquiring an image; 
 extracting a human hand performing a gesture as an object part performing a gesture from the acquired image; 
 acquiring a number of finger(s) that is/are extended in the object part; 
 identifying a shape of the extracted object part based on the number of finger(s); 
 setting, with respect to the object part, a representative point that is a point representing a position of the object part; 
 recognizing a gesture, based on a motion of the representative point; and 
 generating an instruction corresponding to the recognized gesture, wherein 
 the setting of the representative point involves determining a position of a representative point corresponding to the object part, using the identified shape of the object part in different ways depending on the number of fingers that is/are extended. 
 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer readable storing medium recording a computer program for causing a computer to perform the respective steps of the control method of a gesture recognition apparatus according to  claim 8 .